Scandal (Part III)

WASHINGTON D.C.—As my stay in D.C. draws to a close, I have already begun to feel a tinge of nostalgia for the city, its people, and, of course, its scandals. Ironically enough, while pretending to be the Olivia Pope of the D.C. intern world, I have ultimately come to identify with Pope’s character in many ways. Now more than ever, I understand her unwavering desire to protect our nation’s capital and its inhabitants. While D.C. may be filled with backdoor deals and political agendas, it is also the vibrant epicenter of change and the quintessence of what it means to be American. In fact, I would argue that its scandals even contribute to this vibrancy. Check out my final few from this week:

Scandal #1: Sneaking into the Capitol

The problem: The tour lines for the Capitol are ridiculously long. One the one hand, it’s tempting to jump into a tour group and blend right in. On the other hand, it’s probably a felony.

The solution: Unless you’re a big risk taker, it’s best to avoid this undertaking.

The verdict: Majorly scandalous.

Scandal #2: Office politics

The problem: In typical D.C. fashion, politics permeates the city’s corporate world. Some companies, however, take their “office politics” too far, like when bosses blatantly argue in front of their employees. Yes, this actually happens.

The solution: Stay silent and hope you don’t get dragged into the conversation. If you do, remain neutral.

The verdict: Try to steer clear of this scandal.

Scandal #3: Obama sightings

The problem: Seeing the presidential helicopter while tanning on the National Mall (again) makes you instantly want to cover up, even if the president can’t see you from above.